Help! I'm ready to order a 4x4 TA but am having difficulty in finding out if a Leather Steering Wheel is an option at £105 or standard equipment.

Configure at Fiat.co.uk suggests it is standard in not offering it as an option whereas the brochure I have implies it is simply not available on either a Trekking or 4x4.

On driving a 64 reg demonstrator at the dealers it was fitted with a black plastic steering wheel and the salesmen present didn't really seem to know the answer to my query. However I was offered a good deal for pre April.

Thanks

It's optional - if you look on the 4x4 online configurator under <Interior> and <Styling>, it pops up as £105 for the leather steering wheel and handbrake gaiter.

Stupid that they are not standard on a car which lists at over £14k IMO.

gar074 said:

It's optional - if you look on the 4x4 online configurator under <Interior> and <Styling>, it pops up as £105 for the leather steering wheel and handbrake gaiter.

Stupid that they are not standard on a car which lists at over £14k IMO.

Click to expand...

Many thanks. I'll take a closer look.

gar074 said:

It's optional - if you look on the 4x4 online configurator under <Interior> and <Styling>, it pops up as £105 for the leather steering wheel and handbrake gaiter.

Stupid that they are not standard on a car which lists at over £14k IMO.

Click to expand...

Yes, I found it. £105 as you say. I will try and get the dealer to add it in to the agreement.

Thanks for your help.

You're welcome. It's definitely worth having - funny how a small thing like the covering on the wheel makes such a difference, but if you consider how many hours you're gripping it during your period of ownership, it's a small price to pay for tactile pleasure.

Wish they fitted a leather steering wheel to the Antarctica.

As I said before, I'd far rather have that than the privacy glass or the black roof.

The standard wheel is seriously naff.

Don't hesitate. Get leather!

A sound option to go for, it is very cleverly designed to make the round wheel look a bit square too!

Mines a placcy one and I quite like it. Feels nice and chunky and quite tactile. My last car had a leather wheel and I thought I'd miss it but I don't. The gear knob on the other hand feels a bit more plasticky though. Not sure if a leather gear knob comes with the leather wheel or not.
M

The leather wheel and gear knob come together - or at least they did on 2013 build cars! I can't see why 2015 cars would be any different, however your FIAT sales guy really should know for sure...

For your £105 you are getting FIAT-grade leather; by which i mean it is a little hard and unyielding, compared to say a BMW's steering wheel. Having had a plastic rim in our Mk3 4x4, I'd have to say even FIAT-grade is a big step up on this and actually quite nice to use. Money well spent in my view.

[I too like the way they have incorporated a squircle in the stitching ]

We've got one of each and yes, the leather is a step up from the standard plastic wheel.

But when I get hold of my leather wheel I get a mental picture of a rather sad, old cows arse!

Does anybody know if it costs £105 to buy one over the counter to retrofit yourself?

There's a thread on here somewhere where a forum member was quoted a much higher price to have a leather wheel retro-fitted. I can't remember how the cost broke down in terms of parts & labour, but remember that £105 is the extra sum you pay for upgrading/replacing the standard-fit wheel, so the cost of a non-replacement leather wheel is likely to be the cost of the standard wheel plus £105 (plus whatever additional amount they think they can get away with).

the plastic wheel is, on the other hand (no pun intended!), more tolerant of dirty/muddy hands and being washed clean afterwards.... which seems a better choice for a 4x4 used as intended

On the cost front, prob like the spare wheel option: that's only £50 extra at time of ordering new car, but nearly £300 if bought (with jack etc) later on.

Got round to phoning the garage the other day to price up buying a leather wheel....... £320


This means that FIAT expect us to believe that plastic one which comes with the car costs approx £200 given as an option you pay £105.


Now I know manufacturers have to make a profit in order to fund the development of new cars, but charging £320 for a wheel which will cost them a max of £30 I think is a bit steep......


I'll just have to keep an eye on the salvage yards...